Congress to announce name Uttarakhand Chief Minister today

With the BSP and some Independent MLAs deciding to extend support, the Congress party, which staked claim in Uttarakhand to form the next government, is expected to announce its chief ministerial candidate on Monday.

Congress has been struggling to decide on who will be its chief minister in Uttarakhand with party leaders huddled in a series of meetings here with aspirants in the race for the top job.

Party sources said PCC president Yashpal Arya may be emerging as a front-runner and a final decision will be taken by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, probably today.

Union Minister Harish Rawat and party MP Vijay Bahuguna, both also staking their claim for chief ministership, had a two-hour meeting with AICC general secretary in-charge for the state Chaudhary Birender Singh and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad at the latter's residence here Sunday evening.

Rawat said he met Azad here to put across his views on government formation in the state.

"I have put my views to him. We are not only making an attempt to form a government but to run it as well. I had requested him for a meeting because I could not meet Azad when he went to Uttarakhand," Rawat told reporters.

The meeting came a day after the party's central observers, Azad and Birender Singh, who elicited the views of the party's 32 legislators as also 2 independent MLAs in Dehradun on the leadership issue, submitted their report to party chief Sonia Gandhi.

In the 70-member Assembly, Congress has emerged as the largest party with 32 MLAs and has the support of three independent MLAs and one from UKD. The BSP, having a strength of three members, Sunday pledged its unconditional support to the Congress raising its tally to 39.

"On the direction of Bahen Mayawati ji, our party has decided to give full support to Congress, state BSP president Surajmal told a news agency in Dehradun.

Surajmal said since the party has given unconditional support to Congress, BSP would like to join Congress in forming new government. We will like to share power with Congress, he said.